Charges against trustees
of Bishop Estate are suspect

The Star-Bulletin's robotic repetition of the charges of mismanagement of Kamehameha Schools by the trustees is a classic example of the Joseph Goebbels' school of journalism. If you say something often enough, people will believe it no matter how silly it might be.

Consider the charge of micro-management. As I read the will, that would appear to be exactly what Pauahi mandated. Nor should this come as a surprise to anyone -- after all, the will was written in the 19th century.

The charge of undermining the president's authority is also suspect. When Michael Chun was appointed to the top position at the school, he did not have a single day's experience as an administrator or even as a teacher on the elementary/secondary level. He had completed none of the extensive university course work universally required for such an appointment.

The termination of the outreach programs needs to be evaluated by an independent, objective evaluator, and not by someone who received financial benefits from the programs.

Tom Hansen
Lahaina, Maui

Trustees need to examine
their own consciences

It is amazing and discouraging to see this Bishop Estate problem drag on without some kind of resolution. I guess we should not be surprised at what money and clever attorneys can do to constantly obfuscate matters.

The basic questions raised by many of us concerned any possibility of maladministration on the part of the trustees. Have they or have they not failed in their fiduciary duties as trustees? That is why the intervention of the attorney general is so important.

Apparently, in another most peculiar attempt to confuse the situation, the trustees now want to invite all of us -- alumni, parents, faculty and friends of Kamehameha Schools -- to come to a prayer service to "heal."

The trustees need "healing" and need it badly. They surely need God. But before they kneel and try to talk to God, they ought first to be sure that absolutely no influence of the devil is involved in any of their actions.

When they can, in good conscience, open their books and records to the investigation of the attorney general, then would be a good time to pray for "healing."

No, Hawaii isn't booming;
small business is suffering

As a wholesaler and manufacturing representative, I am disgusted about the lack of knowledge concerning our fragile local economy within our government and business community.

They just can't see what I see or maybe, like the Hawaii Retail Association, they juggle their perspectives to suit their ego. To hear them talk, Hawaii is booming and there are businesses opening everywhere.

I now realize they are not on our side, but are talking about only big discount stores and the very high-end designer, name-brand, factory-direct stores lined up for Ala Moana Center.

Maybe it is good for them, but the money does not stay in Hawaii and local people can't afford to shop at these stores.

All our government has to do is help small, local companies and then we can pay taxes and keep the economy in true recovery.

Von Dent
Aiea

HPU is perfect example
of an economic success

Members of the many economic revitalization committees might profit from a field trip to the mauka end of Fort Street Mall. There, they'll find an economic success story -- Hawaii Pacific University.

HPU continues to grow. The size and quality of its student body improves each year, as does its faculty and course offerings. HPU receives no direct subsidy from government.

Two of every three HPU students are from the mainland or foreign places. Their stay here, unlike vacationers, is not measured in days but in semesters. Like tourists, the money they spend comes from someplace else and enriches us.

HPU's athletic teams are not subsidized by taxpayers, and they are competitive. The athletic director also coaches basketball, the major sport. He came from a local high school and was not the catch of a national search.

The same is true of HPU's president. He worked in state and local government here before joining the staff of what was then Hawaii Pacific College.

Although there are apple and orange differences between the state university and HPU, it might profit the Olympians in Manoa to spend some time kibitzing with the folks "downtown." It might even be good for state-subsidized athletic teams to challenge those at HPU. A little inner-city rivalry would help both programs.

Bob Dye
Kailua

Students aren't clueless
about the environment

Punahou is a preparatory academy that educates 3,700 students. It is understandable that some parents have to drop off their children. But in response to John Werrill's Sept. 30 letter, I would ask if he's paid attention to the many Punahou students who come in by school bus and city bus.

Has Werrill ever thought that many of these parents are on their way to work? I can assure you that most of them have other things to do in town beside taking their children to school.

Punahou teaches its students and parents to be very conscious of the environment. Just like many of my classmates, we each have learned various ways to preserve our island.

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